When
you see a headline like this in the news, “Anti-inflammatory Drugs
Reduce the Effectiveness of SSRI Antidepressants,” what does it
make you think? The impression given is that if you are taking an SSRI
then you shouldn’t take any pain pills if you want the antidepressants
to work – which is the clear message of the press
release that accompanied the study. If you are developing “health
brains” on your shoulders then you would realize that SSRI antidepressants
must be “working” by some type of inflammatory method. It
is now common knowledge that low-grade excess inflammation is behind
virtually every disease of aging. The obvious contradictions don’t
add up to health. Pulling strings further, as I explain in this article,
leads to an understanding as to why antidepressants are associated with
an increased risk of breast cancer, brain damage over time, and a significantly
increased risk of early mortality – information the pill pushers
at Big Pharma would prefer you never understood.

The
study showed that the use of anti-inflammatory pain medications, such
as ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen, reduced the “effectiveness”
of the most widely used type of antidepressants. A combination of an
animal study and a large scale human data evaluation led researchers
to conclude that the typical response rate to SSRIs of 54% dropped to
40%.

“The
mechanism underlying these effects is not yet clear. Nevertheless, our
results may have profound implications for patients, given the very
high treatment resistance rates for depressed individuals taking SSRIs,”
notes Dr. Jennifer Warner-Schmidt. “Many elderly individuals suffering
from depression also have arthritic or related diseases and as a consequence
are taking both antidepressant and anti-inflammatory medications. Our
results suggest that physicians should carefully balance the advantages
and disadvantages of continuing anti-inflammatory therapy in patients
being treated with antidepressant medications.”

I
guess she is trying to say that if you want to try to help your brain
pain you may need to live with your physical pain – a testament
to the ineptitude of Western Medicine’s drug-based therapies.
The real story is what isn’t being said or explained – as
almost nobody would ever take an SSRI antidepressant for any length
of time if they understood what was actually just discovered.

These
researchers noted that SSRIs provoked a release of pro-inflammatory
signals in the brain, TNFa and IFNy, which were blocked by the anti-inflammatory
drugs. TNFa (tumor necrosis factor alpha) is an inflammatory cytokine
produced by immune cells and by glial cells in the brain – in
response to a problem. For example, overweight people make far too much
TNFa in their inflamed white adipose tissue, which can travel up to
the brain, cross the blood brain barrier, and induce brain-inflammation
resulting
in the cognitive decline and depression that is so closely linked
to obesity. IFNy (interferon gamma) is a potent activator of an immune-related
response – typically to viral infection or a tumor. It specifically
boosts up the production of highly inflammatory nitric oxide (iNOS),
a compound that is essential for an immune system battle and highly
inflammatory to healthy nerve cells and to the cardiovascular system.

So
how on earth could taking these brain-inflammatory SSRI antidepressant
drugs help a person feel better mentally?

The
BDNF Response to Health and Trauma

BDNF
(brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is one of the most potent healing
compounds in your brain. Adequate BDNF is needed for brain plasticity,
cognitive intelligence, optimal learning, positive mood, etc. In other
words BDNF is your brain rejuvenation compound. BDNF can prevent and
treat Alzheimer’s
disease. BDNF is even active outside your brain wherein it helps
your muscles
burn fat! A lack of BDNF sets the stage for addictive
behavior, including compulsive
overeating. Those with the lowest levels of BDNF have the worst
depression.

BDNF
production in your brain occurs within glial cells (astrocytes). It
is very important to understand that BDNF production can be activated
by multiple signals coming into the glial cells, not just one type of
input. In other words, we have glial cell activation in response to
healthy behaviors like exercise and good nutrition, part of the ongoing
process of keeping your brain rejuvenated and in tip-top working condition.
In animal experiments following stroke, voluntary
exercise helps produce high levels of BDNF and nerve regeneration
whereas forced exercise does not.

BDNF
is also activated during times of brain injury, so as to repair
the injury. Nerve cells do not split and divide like other cells
in your body. Rather, nerve cells must either fix themselves or have
a strategy to develop new nerve growth, and both processes require BDNF.
Thus, one way to stimulate BDNF is to injure nerve cells.

It
is this latter strategy that SSRI antidepressants utilize – in
a manner never intended by Mother Nature. The details of this rather
bizarre method of operation are explained in a detailed
review article. In brief, one way SSRIs are supposed to work is
by enhancing the flow of serotonin – an effect that would be felt
immediately upon taking. It is well recognized that an additional mechanism
is in play, as for many it takes several weeks or longer before mood
seems to improve. This latter effect is due to the SSRI medication progressively
accumulating in glial cells, inducing a highly inflammatory toxic response,
and triggering the release of BDNF. Now you can understand why taking
anti-inflammatory drugs would interfere with SSRI function.

It
should be understood that such a strategy to boost BDNF production is
highly problematic and can just as readily result in suicide or worsened
depression. First of all, a person who is depressed is lacking BDNF.
This means their credit cards for BDNF have been maxed out trying to
cope with the stress in their life. In essence, SSRI antidepressants
are like getting a new BDNF credit card from a loan shark. The interest
rates are astronomically high, i.e., the loan is given in the form of
excitotoxic brain cell injury. Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul.
A very short term remedy at best.

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According
to the above review article the method of BDNF activation by SSRI antidepressants
utilizes a specific gene signaling pathway called TrkB (Tropomyosin-associated
kinase). The overexpression of this particular gene signal is known
to cause breast cancer. It is not that BDNF causes
breast cancer. Indeed, just about every nutrient listed above that
boosts BDNF production naturally also protects against breast cancer.
This is the difference between nutrition and drugs. Nutrients and exercise
act in harmony with the brain to bolster its natural function, while
nourishing and protecting other areas of the body. In this case SSRIs
are manipulating an injury recovery strategy to boost BDNF by actually
poisoning brain cells. This strategy was never intended to be used on
an ongoing basis. It is quite clear that the TNFa
activation of BDNF can have deleterious effects on the nervous systems
and may not help BDNF production at all. The science provides a direct
link to cancer, especially breast cancer.

Breast
Cancer and SSRI Use

Human
data regarding SSRI use and breast cancer is highly controversial. The
reason it is controversial is due to Big Pharma-funded “scientists
for hire” who crank out studies that say there is no risk. This
is only one aspect of the blatant and fraudulent misrepresentation of
SSRI risks and benefits.

This
issue came front and center in an April 2011 open access article published
in Plos
One that reviewed 61 studies regarding breast and ovarian cancer
and antidepressant use. The overall data showed that there was an 11%
increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer associated with all types
of antidepressants. The association between the SSRI type of antidepressants
and cancer was stronger than for any other type of antidepressant, with
all SSRI studies but one showing an increased risk of female cancer.
Additionally, this April 2011 study also evaluated the financial ties
of study authors to the companies that make antidepressants. Shockingly,
none of the 15 researchers with financial ties to the industry found
any risk for breast/ovarian cancer in the studies they conducted, whereas
43% of the researchers without industry ties found clear evidence of
cancer risk. The authors called for more research to determine the exact
nature of this risk, since 10% - 15% of women are on these drugs. Don’t
expect the FDA to do anything meaningful any time soon.

Another
angle to this problem is that women with breast cancer are often put
on SSRI medications because they are depressed about their health. According
to a February 2010 open access article published in the British
Medical Journal, the SSRI antidepressants block the effectiveness
of Tamoxifen causing up to a 91% increased risk of death from breast
cancer in a 2.5 year period of follow up.

The
Disturbing Picture of the Cruel SSRI Scam

The
SSRI literature cover-up extends far beyond attempting to hide or negate
the link to breast cancer. The fraudulent scam goes to the heart of
the matter, i.e., whether the drugs even work very well at all.

In
2008 the New
England Journal of Medicine exposed the extent of the antidepressant
deception. The great majority of negative SSRI studies were never published.
A whistleblower who had worked at the FDA and was familiar with the
data forced the data to public view. It showed 37 studies the FDA considered
positive were published, whereas only 3 negative studies were published.
33 studies the FDA considered negative or questionable were either not
published (22) or published with spin to look positive when they were
not (11). This made antidepressant studies appear 96% positive in the
literature, when in fact the studies were only 51% positive. In fact,
as Newsweek
magazine explained in January of 2010, that “benefit”
was hardly any different than the placebo.

On
the other hand, rather extreme side effect data from taking SSRI antidepressants
continues to pour in. In November of 2008 it was shown that anyone over
the age of 50 taking SSRIs on a continual basis had double the risk
for fractures, as excessive serotonin production directly blocks
new bone formation. In March of 2009 it was reported in a large study
of women that antidepressant use, independent of other variables, was
linked to a statistically increased risk of sudden cardiac death. In
December of 2009 researchers reported that in 136,000 postmenopausal
women taking SSRIs there was a 45% increased risk of stroke of any kind,
a 32%
increased risk of mortality from any cause, a 212% increased risk
of a hemorrhagic stroke, and a 210% increased risk that the stroke damage
would be so severe it would cause death. As mentioned at the beginning
of this article, the increased rate of inflammation in the brain, especially
activating highly inflammatory iNOS in response to INFy, is a clear
mechanism that could cause these dangerous strokes in the brain.

The
issue of cardiovascular, breast cancer, and mortality adverse effects
from SSRIs is far from settled. The industry will do everything in its
power to pay scientists to publish studies that state or imply there
are no problems. The battle will go on for years, with massive litigation
expenses hanging over the heads of Big Pharma. The FDA, as always, is
missing in action. However, to the person taking an SSRI to feel better
it is clear that the drugs work by inflammatory mechanisms that are
not healthy over the long haul and possibly even in the short term.
SSRIs are a credit card at best and one day you will need to pay up.

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While
I am well aware of people who feel symptomatic improvement from taking
antidepressants, this information serves as a wake-up call and hopefully
will help such people find alternative solutions such as exercise, weight
loss if overweight, a better diet, dietary supplements that can help
boost BDNF, improved stress management skills, and non-drug psychotherapy
as needed. Getting off SSRI medications requires that you work with
your doctor – and the long term goal is to be off them because
you don’t need them. I also have first hand knowledge of many
people who have been injured by SSRI medications, including suicide.
The fact that the SSRI medications, while helpful to some, are clinically
proven to be no better than placebo, represents one of the great con
jobs of all time on the unsuspecting American public.

Maybe
Congress should investigate this issue instead of wasting time and taxpayer
money on Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

Byron
J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist, nationally-renowned
nutrition
expert, and founder of Wellness
Resources is a leader in advocating the value of dietary
supplements as a vital tool to maintain health. He is an outspoken
critic of government and Big Pharma efforts to deny access to natural
health products and has written extensively on the life-shortening and
health-damaging failures of the sickness
industry.